In any sport a new coach has to look at his veterans live in his system before he or she can decide, who will be replaced. once again, i don't get women's soccer fan boys/girls. i'm not sure what he is suppose to do in 1.5 camps and 3 games. i can say that press, engen and dunn will probably be fixtures on his squad. that's not bad for 3 games. i thought it took about 10-15 games to do. and i thought equalizer posters where more sensible on these matters. at least they agree winters sucks . i did see that in a thread, when someone from here said she should be capped.
Lol, might perhaps be true for the US team that have more camps and games then the rest. 15 games are about what Sweden manages to play in three years, not counting EC, WC and Olympics. US might pull off 15 games in a year though.
Highlights SWEDEN- CHINA and USA-ICELAND Norway-Japan goals , note Norvwegian prodige Caroline Hansen ,17 years old , with an assit and a goal
Well that's why. He only made one sub. The diplomatic answer is he wanted to bring in another finisher (Press) but if Lloyd isnt a finisher what else does she have going for her? My question is was he sending Lloyd a message? Was this the first salvo in the battle to actually get midfield play out of the midfielders or am I reading too much into it?
Ah, fair question. It's hard to discern a strategy from one or two moves, but I have a feeling Sermanni is a lot cannier (if I can resort to some ethnic stereotyping) than some might give him credit for.
My personal, unevidenced, and perhaps hopeful interpretation of the sub is that it had more to do with Press than Lloyd. Perhaps he's seen enough from CP that he wants to get her on the field but recognizes the USA has a wealth of talented attackers, and he thinks CP has the versatility to play other positions. So far she's played on the right, up top, and in the center midfield - three different positions in three appearances. As far as Lloyd goes, she still brings an element to the team that no other midfielder we have does, even if she doesn't bring "midfield play". She's not going anywhere.
Saw an interview with Sermanni that said he planned to get as many players 90 minutes as possible in the first two games. So will be seeing a different group for China. Maybe Lloyd wasnt feeling well or picked up an injury. It's just, considering the plan Sermanni mentioned above, odd she was the only one.
Could have been an injury. Watching the replay, it looked like she hurt her arm during the first half.
i originally thought that he was being cautious because she had a pretty bad fall in the first half and hurt her shoulder. then I came on here and saw the other dire interpretations, and thought...maybe....
Germany v Japan 2:1 FT =-( At least I can take comfort in the fact that IF Iceland gets any kind of points-earning result, USA wins their group. Also, with Hungary beating Portugal, there's a good chance now for Mexico to win their group, too.
Meanwhile, in the battle of Quite a bit of Damallsvenskan (Iceland) vs Mostly Damallsvenskan (Sweden)... 25' and it's 0:2. Thunebro with a beauty for the second. Sundhage has moved some people around – Fisher appears to be in defense. ISL keeper Thora Helgadottir has made some nice saves. As has Kristen Hammarström for Sweden.
0-4 at the half, goal scorers Asllani, Thunebro, Schelin and Hammarström. (The other Hammarström.) could be more; Iceland doesn't look so sharp. And within 3' after the half, it should be 0-6. The 6th, by Moberg (her first cap?) gets called back (wrongly) as the ref thought she'd handled it. Moberg instead gets her first yellow w/ the full national team, for a handball, and nearly another for dissent. The Swedish announcer wonders whether the ref understands English.
[ISL-SWE] 1_' 0-1 Sweden receives at ~25m arc right facing away. One-touch lay-off forward diagonal pass perfectly leads #? outrunning the LB(?) through box top mid-right. She shoots hard low from 12m 6-right, #1 Þóra Björg Helgadóttir sprawl-blocks it out to 6-top left post. #8 Kosovare Asllani is one step behind her marker, but the ball comes right to her, and she volleys it into left back. Sweden are dangerous when they have speed on both flanks, and Iceland's backs get caught in a footrace. 2_' 0-2 #6 Sara Thunebro, dribbling across box top from left to center? (they are starting to blur together) 3_?' 0-3 Sweden rush the 6-top with about 4 parallel 1-v-1s. Ball starts on the right, shot blocked across to left post? #8 Schelin is there and redirects it. 4_' 0-4 Sweden cross from box top wide left, curls back to 12m center. #8 Asllani backpedals between 2 collapsing CBs, jumps and flick-heads short to 7m 1/4 right. #12 Marie Hammarström, no longer marked, pounces first as Helgadóttir slides out, chips left foottop over her leg and rising into left 1/3 high. Iceland just doesn't have the fitness to match up when Sweden attack in waves. 46' 0-5 #11 Antonia Göransson drives hard down and inward to 6-left foot, faster than the RB. She pulls Helgadóttir out to 6-left, sharp low backpass finds Asllani in traffic at 6-top 1/4 left, instant volley into center back low. Iceland a bit unlucky to block neither ball path by sheer congestion. Brief shot of Pia being pensive on the bench. Eurosport does not show her jumping around after goals. 64' 0-6 #8 Schelin drives hard from box top wide right to 6-top right, burning the LB, then jukes the LCB out of her ankle braces, down to 6-right foot. Scooped cross to(ward) 6-top 1/3 right is stopped in flight by #19 Mist Edvarsdóttir, but she never gets power to clear, and the ball sits at 6-top right post. #19 Susanne Moberg slides in and pokes ball into right 1/3 low.